Parents seek justice for son killed after falling from hotel balcony in Greece

Last updated at 15:55 02 February 2008

The parents of a British holidaymaker who died almost eight years ago today flew to Greece in the hope of finally getting justice for their son.

Christopher Rochester fell 40ft from a Faliraki hotel balcony in 2000 and died after being left on a hospital trolley.

Doctors Stergios Pavlidis, Georgos Karavolias and Mihalis Sokorelos were convicted of manslaughter by neglect, but acquitted on appeal.

Their retrial by Rhodes magistrates is expected to begin on Tuesday after Mr Rochester's family launched a private prosecution.

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Mr Rochester's parents - stepfather George Cummings and mother Ann Cummings - will arrive on the Greek island after a mammoth three-flight, 12-hour trip because direct flights do not operate to the island out-of-season.

Speaking before they left the UK, Mr Cummings said that if justice were to be done, the three doctors would be convicted of Christopher's manslaughter.

"We know the strength of the case, as do our legal team and we have no worries whatsoever that justice will be done," he said.

"We have the evidence to prove that gross medical neglect took place.

"We know that if justice is to be done these doctors will be held accountable for their actions by reinstating the manslaughter convictions against them.

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"For the first time they will be struck off as doctors and quite rightly so. They should not be in a position to work in a hospital.

"Their job was to protect and sustain human life. That's the oath they swore. In this case they ignored that oath and that cost us our son's life."

Mr Cummings said his family have been warned to expect a hostile reception on the island and are fearful that the controversial court case has deliberately been scheduled out of holiday season when there will be very few tourists on the island.

"From day one there has always been differing degrees of intimidation," Mr Cummings said.

"The island's press and media have been very active and we know that the negative propaganda against the family has already started.

"We expect intimidation, from pointed fingers to aggressive stares, at the most physically we get nudged and pushed and elbowed in the court.

"They are looking for a reaction. We keep our true emotions in check, as we are not going out there for us, we are going out for Chris.

"When Chris died he no longer had a voice, we are Chris's representatives and we have always represented Chris with decency and respect."

The 24-year-old, from Chester le Street, County Durham, died of internal bleeding at the island's Andreas Papandreou Hospital, after being left unattended for three hours.

Each doctor was sentenced to three years in jail, but all were cleared on appeal in 2005.

Following a long campaign by Mr Rochester's family, the Greek Supreme Court ruled the appeal should be overturned and subsequently approved the re-trial.

Mr Rochester's parents have raised about £6,000 but still need to find another £3,000 to pay their legal costs.

An inquest in Britain recorded a verdict of accidental death contributed to by neglect.

North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle said at the time he had "great concern about the standards of medical care" in Rhodes.

When the holidaymaker's body was returned to the UK, a post-mortem examination found one of his kidneys was missing.

An organ was later sent to the family, but tests failed to produce a DNA match.